By Kate Reynolds
Photos By Rimas Zailskas
The two marble lions standing guard outside the main entrance of Biltmore House in Asheville have become icons: proud, regal and stately, they project the dignity and grandeur of the residence. But these glamorous felines are merely the front men for a legion of carved sentries. To see them, you need only look up.
They are so deftly entwined with the decorative motifs of the limestone face that it may take a moment or two to register their abundance. Creatures — fantastic, frightful and fanciful — lurk in virtually every nook and cranny of the façade. They perch on the parapets, hunch on the upper balconies and slither from the groins of the ornately arched windows: gargoyles, grotesques and chimeras.
Their presence is easily explained. Richard Morris Hunt, the architect of Biltmore, took cues from the French renaissance and Gothic styles in creating the master plan for George Vanderbilt’s superlative residence. That influence is evident in the proliferation of curious creatures that embellish it; gargoyles have been fixtures on the cathedrals, public buildings and grand homes of Europe for centuries.
But although the term "gargoyle" is often used to characterize all bestial ornamentation, it actually refers to a very specific type of critter. The word is generally accepted to derive from the old French gargouille, meaning "throat." Originally, a gargoyle was a strictly utilitarian architectural feature: a spout, which funneled rainwater from the roof and cascaded it outward, away from the walls of the building, to avoid eroding the foundations.
How these drain pipes morphed into the sinister incarnations we now know is a matter of conjecture and apocrypha, but they seem to have been intended to serve a dual purpose: directing the water flow and protecting the building from evil spirits. One rationale for their ugliness is that demons would see them, assume that one of their kin was already making mischief thereabouts, and move on.
The masons of the Middle Ages expanded on this theme by introducing non-functional decorative elements depicting animals and humans in a grotesque (and often humorous) style, or letting their imaginations run wild with chimeras: mythical beasts that combined elements from various creatures. The gryphon, which has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, is a well-known example.
While many of the monsters that adorn Biltmore seem to have crawled from our deepest nightmares, they were actually dreamed up by Mr. Hunt’s architectural team. Plaster prototypes of each individual statue were provided to the project’s master stone carvers, who had been imported from major cities such as New York and Chicago.
Working in the tent city set up for the construction crew on the estate’s esplanade, the carvers defined the basic contours of the Indiana limestone sculptures on the ground, and then finessed the detail in place on the façade. Major works, such as the two fearsome sentinels that overlook the main entrance, were executed to the architect’s specifications but, says Chief Curator Darren Poupore, the home’s minor grotesques give us a glimpse of the individual style of the anonymous makers. "That’s where they were probably given a bit of artistic license," he says.
The staff is not certain of the exact number of imps and monsters that cling to the outer walls (and several interior locations) of the historic home, but for Poupore, that’s part of the fascination. "Every day I discover something new," he notes. The creature count will soon have a definitive answer, however, as the estate’s curators and engineers consider what steps need to be taken to conserve the ghastly guardians, which have been aged by the elements.
Meanwhile, this diverse cast of characters remains stalwart. "We have monkeys, eagles, dragons, dogs, cats, lizards…" says Poupore. "Even a bear." Human figures range from the mythical — harpies, demons, a "Green Man" — to the proletarian — monks, artists and musicians. Many are visible from ground level, but to get up close and personal, you need to ascend to higher realms.
Fortunately, the estate offers a rooftop tour ($15 additional with a regular day pass and reservation) for those who want to pat a gargoyle on the back for his diligence. But however you choose to enjoy the many pleasures of this historic home, you need to be on your best behavior. Just remember…they’re watching.
For more information on tours of the Biltmore Estate, visit www.biltmore.com or call 828-225-1333. Their toll-free number is 877-BILTMORE.
